Bellevue House closed for second season

Saturday, May 18 marks the opening day for one of our local Parks Canada site – Bellevue House. Sadly, the house will be closed to visitors again this year, as it is undergoing extensive restorations.

Bellevue House is over 150 years old. It is not uncommon for historic buildings of this age to require significant repairs and restorations. The house was closed initially last year (2018) for Parks Canada to restore the plaster ceilings. Further work may be done over this season as well.

While the house is closed to the public, the orchard, grounds and Visitors Centre are open and free for all visitors. You will still find costumed gardeners working the land, and can enjoy a 30 minute guided tour of the grounds for a small fee.

The Many Voices of Confederation and Hometown Heroes exhibit, located inside the Visitor Center, is available for viewing before or after your stroll through the orchard and around the grounds.

From the website:

“The Many Voices of Confederation exhibit at Bellevue House shares stories about Canada’s first Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald, the evolving story of Confederation that continues today and introduces lesser known voices of Canada’s history. The exhibit features an interactive photo booth with an invitation to “Imagine a Country” and share your dream for Canada’s future.”

Bellevue House is located at 35 Centre Street in Kingston.

Hours vary based on time of year:

May 18 – June 30: Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, 10am to 5pm

July 1 – Sept 2: Daily, 10am to 5pm, including statutory holidays

Sept 3 – Oct 14: Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, 10am to 5pm

If you are interested in a virtual tour of Bellevue House, click here.

Learn more and plan your visit at the Bellevue House website: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/on/bellevue.